Although my initial goal in this project was to find other carriers of the specific mutation carried by my family (originally from Ostrow Mazowiecka [Ostrova] in the old Lomza Gubernia of Poland) and a family in Jerusalem (originally from Bobruysk in Belarus) and identify the earliest carriers of this mutation in both families, I also want to alert unsuspecting Ashkenazic carriers outside my family. This is the most urgent aspect, because the beta-thalassemia genetic trait is not usually found unless physicians are looking for it. Carriers are often misdiagnosed as being anemic and are incorrectly prescribed iron. Most carriers in my family learned that they carried the trait later in life, in some cases - long after having grandchildren. This late diagnosis could have been disastrous.

In addition to previously unknown branches of my family which I have found, outreach has turned up six other Diaspora Ashkenazic families carrying the trait. A few already launched programs to alert their extended families about the potential dangers to future generations. These families were found through JewishGen posts and articles in the general and Jewish press and Jewish Genealogical Society newsletters.